Loose-leaf binder.



J. C. MERWIN.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER. APPLlCATlON HLED 1AN.17,191T.

l 1,339 Patented July 17, 1917.

3141x214* oz (75% Warn/1.1m

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application led January 17, 1917.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. MERWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Holyoke, county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to loose leaf binders but more particularly has reference to devices of this description in which the prong carrying members as well as the prongs themselves are made of resilient wire.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a simple, cflicient and cheap structure readily assembled and not at all likely to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a bottom view of a binder constructed in accordance with my mprovement* Fig. 2 a section and QFigs. 3 and 4 are sections respectively taken at the lines 3-3 and 4-4L of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

1, 2, are the prong carrying members which are made from good resilient wire and have formed integral therewith the prongs 3, 4, which normally are complementary portions of the rings of the binder in the usual manner.

These wires 1, 2, are bent to provide inwardly extending offset portions 5, 6, which meet conformably and are provided at their meeting edges with grooves 7, 8, within which grooves is housed a pintle 9 whereby said offset portions are rockingly connected together.

Around the wires adjacent the offset portions are rigid and unyielding straps l() which are normally constricted so as to cause the wires 1, 2, intermediate `said straps to normally assume inwardly bowed positions as clearly shown at Fig. 1.

These straps hold the structure together at the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Jve cents each, by addressing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 191W. Serial No. 142,857.

and the opening and closing of the prongs may be readily effected without disassociation of the parts.

l1 is a cover plate which performs no function whatever except to provide a 11- ish for the binder and to prevent dirt or other foreign matter getting into the parts.

The wires are always under tension against the straps, owing to their normally bowed condition, and during the opening or closing of the prongs the wires will not only be rocked but will be forced toward each other as the offset portions 5, 6, are gradually brought into the same plane.

By binding the wires in this manner so that they are always under tension a quick spring action is obtained in the opening and closing of the prongs, and, moreover, this tension will always keep the prongs tightly closed and fully opened without any lost motion whatsoever.

It will be observed that the binding straps are applied at locations where the longitudinal wires of the binder are spaced apart the farthest, and that the inwardly bowed portions of the wires occupy the greater portion of the length of said wires, and therefore there can be no undue strain placed upon the latter.

claim z- In a loose lea-f binder, a pair of wires with integral half ring portions and having interengaging offset members that are pivotally connected, and rigid unyielding straps which are bound around the wires at locations where the latter are spaced apart the farthest whereby the wires between saiol members will be bowed toward each other so as to always exert a tension against said straps, the wires having no side supports or bearings except said straps while the bowed portions of the wires approach closer to each other on the opening and closing of the prongs.

In testimony whereof I affix ture in presence of two witnesses.

IO C. MERWIN. Witnesses:

FREDERICK W. WEIssBUD, I-IoMnR GENDRON.

my signa- Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

